Premier League roundup: Red cards, late winners and USMNT drama from Matchday 21

USMNT star Brenden Aaronson makes it all about him

American attacker Brenden Aaronson dominated Leeds' breathless game against Newcastle in good ways and bad. He scored two well-taken goals before conceding a game-deciding handball penalty in the final minute.

This "two steps forward, one step back" performance was emblematic of Aaronson's relationship with the Leeds faithful. For every two goals he scores from nothing, there's always at least one passion-driven mistake that brings him right back down to earth. Watching him run into the wrong place at the wrong time and (literally) hand this game to Newcastle after 90+ minutes of stellar play was as frustrating as it was familiar. Aaronson is a hardworking creative playmaker entering into the form of his life, but little mistakes like this one often keep Leeds fans from seeing it. 

Newcastle 4-3 Leeds United

Igor Thiago breaks records at Brentford

No one is saying much about Brentford these days, but it's quietly put together one of the tidiest teams in the Premier League — and star striker Igor Thiago is breaking records all over the place. The Brazilian scored twice against Sunderland to take his season-long tally up to 16.

That total puts Thiago second in the Golden Boot standings (leader Erling Haaland has 20.) It also sets the all-time record for the most goals scored by a Brazilian player in a single Premier League season. That's right, Thiago has comfortably outscored the likes of Richarlison, Gabriel Martinelli and Roberto Firmino with nearly half a season to spare.

Brentford 3-0 Sunderland

Back four can't save Man United

When Manchester United fired coach Ruben Amorim earlier this week, reports quickly circulated about behind-the-scenes debates between Amorim and club leadership on the structure of the team's defensive line. Amorim was wedded to a three-man defense; the executives, by all accounts, preferred a four-man option.

It wasn't surprising, then, to see United interim coach Darren Fletcher start a four-man defense in his first game in charge. It was even less surprising to see that four-man defense make absolutely no difference to United's fate. This is a team rotting from the inside out due to cultural conflict; the executives, not the defensive line, are to clearly to blame for its failures. 

Burnley 2-2 Manchester United

The Premier League will return with Matchday 22 on Saturday, Jan. 17.